Tube beading and flaring tool



Aug. 30, 1949. H. F. BRINEN ET AL TUBE BEADING AND FLARING TOOL Filed March 31, 1948 /54 55M f :\E= 4 1 5 9W 2 a 6% 5 7 g a i m Ff a w y 2 w r 4 0 a r b o m z 5 5 a 1 v M n Patented Aug. 30, 1949 TUBE READING AND FLARING TOOL Howard F. Brinen and Edward J; Kothera, Racine,

Wis., assignors to Young Radiator Company,

Racine, Wis., a corporation Wisconsin Application March 31, 1948, Serial No. 18,193 I The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of tool for expanding the ends of tubular members into supporting header plates; to provide a tool of this kind which ex-' pands the tube to form a bead directly inwardly of the header plate and flares the tube end outwardly of the header plate; to provide an improved tool of this kind wherein a mandrel is shiftably sheathed within an expansible die member mounted on'a supporting member for axial movement relative thereto whereby the relative axial shifting of said mandrel, sheath, and supporting member efiect the successive expansion and flaring of said tube; to provide an improved form of supporting member for operatively mounting said mandrel and die member; to provide an improved formand arrangement of operating means for effecting the axial movement of said mandrel and die member relative to each other and to said supporting member; and to provide an improved tool of this kind which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is positive and easy to operate for anchoring tube ends in header plates.

In the drawings, v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an improved tubebeading and -fiaring toolconstructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical end view, partly sectional, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the forward end of the tool showing it positioned in a tube preparatory to being operated to expand and flare the tube;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts of the tool in the positions they occupy when the expanding and flaring operation has been completed; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional detail taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

An improved tube-beading and -flaring tool constructed in accordance with this invention comprises, a housing or main support 6 on which is mounted the tube-expanding and -flaring means I actuated by the operating mechanism 8.

The housing or main support 6 comprises an outer tubular member 9 within which is concentrically-supported an inner tubular member ID, the integral or extended ends of which protrude beyond the opposite ends of said outer member 9. At the adjacent rear ends the members 9 and ill mount the cross-arms Ii and I2 respectively.

The tubular member 9 is formed with the two different bores l3 and I4 wherein are slidable the 5 Claims. (Cl. 153-80) hub l5 and annular flange l6. respectively, on the tubular member ID. oppositely-disposed flanges l1 integrally formed at the rearend of the tubular member 9 support the cross-head i I by means of screws l8.

The tubular member ID is formed with the two different size bores l9 and 2|] wherein are respecing for the mandrel rod section 23 and a threaded shoulder 28 formed at the junction of the bores l3 and :4. e

The tube-beading and -fiaring-*reans comprises a tube-bearing die member? a die-exfinding mandrel 30, and a tube-flaring bushing The die member 29 is formed on the forward extremity of an integral part of the tubular member i0, protruding beyond the bushing 31. The die is constituted by forming an annular enlargemerit 32 and a plurality of slits 33 extending inwardly from and through the annular enlargement 32 to a point near the hub 15 of the tubular member ill. The fingers 34, formed by the cutting of these slits, are normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of the inner tubular member l0 whereby the outside diameter of the annular enlargement 32 normally is less than the inside diameter of the tube 35, which the tool is to be used to expand. This permits the enlargement 32 to slip into the end of said tube preparatory to beading it into a header plate 36 and flaring the outer end thereof.

The mandrel 30 is in the form of an enlargement at the end of the forward section 2| of the mandrel rod. The enlargement is tapered to provide a cam surface 31 adapted to enter and expand the enlargement 32 as the mandrel rod 2i, 23 is drawn inwardly relatively of the tubular member ID.

The bushing 3| is threaded into the end of the tubular member In. Its outer or forward end is tapered at 38 to provide a cam surface for flaring the end of the tube 35 when a movement of the mandrel 30 and expanded die member 29 rela- 3 tive to the tubular member 9 is efiected by the operating mechanism 8.

The operating mechanism 8 is in the form of a pair of arms or handles 39 and 40 pivotally mounted respectively at 4! and 42 on the opposite ends of the cross-head l2 and connected by pairs of links 43 and 44 to the rear section 23 of the mandrel rod.

The arms 39 and 40 are crossed at 45 and, their inner or forward ends bear against the cross-head II. The cross-head H is recessed at 45 to so engage the ends of the arms 39 and 40 as to hold them against transverse shifting relative to the cross-head ll.

The pairs of links 43 and 44 are secured at their forward ends by pivot pins 41 and 48 to the handles 39 and 40 respectively adjacent the crossing 45 of said handles. At their rear ends the links are connected to trunnions 49 formed on a collar 50 which is adjustably secured to the rod 23. Cotter pins 5| hold the links in place on the trunnions 49.

A wish-bone type of spring 52 has its ends detachably connected to the respective handles 39 and 40. The ends of the spring are held against displacement by shoulders 53. This spring serves to force the handles apart and thus supplement the spring 2'] in urging the mandrel head 30 forwardly so as to permit the annular enlargement 32 to assume its retracted smaller diameter.

The operation of this tube-beading and -flaring tool is as follows.

Normally the springs 21 and 52 cooperate to hold the die member 29 and mandrel 39 in the relatively retracted positions shown in the Figs. 1 and 2.

When it is desired to bead a tube 35 into a header 36 and flare the end thereof the mandrel 30 and the retracted die enlargement 32 is inserted into the end of the tube 35 with the tube end abutting the cam surface 38 on the bushing 3|. Upon compressing or drawing together the outer ends of the handles 39 and 40 the forward or inner ends of the handles swing on their respective pivots 4| and 42 and cam against the cross-head ll. At the same time the pivots 4'! and 48 are moved toward each other. Accordingly, such drawing together of these handles causes an axial movement of the tubular members 9 and I0 relative to each other and an axial movement of the mandrel rod 2|, 23 relative to both of said members. However, the stroke of the mandrel rod is greater and faster than that of the tubular member.

The relative rearward movement of the mandrel rod 2|, 23 and member Ill causes the cam surface 31 of the mandrel 30 to force the sectionalized enlargement 32 of the die 29 outwardly. Such expansion of the enlargement 32 forms a bead 54 (see Fig. 4) in the tube 35 directly inward of the header plate 36.

The formation of the bead 54 of necessity locks the mandrel rod 2|, 23 and tubular member [0 against any movement axially relative to each other or to the tube 35. Therefore, a continued compression of the handles 39 and 40 causes a relative axial movement of the tubular members 9 and I 0. Since, by reason of the expanded die member 29, the member (0 can no longer move axially of the tube 35 the tubular member 9 of necessity must move on the tubular member ID. This results in the cam end 38 of the bushing 3! moving against the end ofthe tube 35 and produces the flare 55 as shown in Fig. 4.

When the handles 39 and 49 are released the springs 21 and 52 coact to restore these parts to their normal positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The resulting retraction of the mandrel 39 from the die member 29 permits the resilient fingers 33 to restore the die member to its retracted position with the exterior diameter of the enlargement 32 less than the inner diameter of the tube 35. Thereupon the tool may be extracted from the tube preparatory to repeating the operation with a subsequent tube 35.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a pair of concentrically mounted, relatively' shiftable, tubular members, the ends of the inner of said members extending beyond the respective ends of the outer member, the forward end of said inner member being formed with an annular enlargement and having slits extending inwardly from the end thereof through said enlargement to form fingers normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of said member whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a rod slidably sheathed in said inner member and having the ends thereof extending beyond the ends of said inner member, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said rod and adapted to be drawn into the split end of said inner member to eifectan expansion of said annular enlargement, a pair of crossed curved arms having the forward ends extending transversely to the axis of said members, said arms being independently pivoted to one of said members at points remote from the crossing of said arms and having a sliding cam action with the other said member whereby the drawing of the outer ends of said handles toward each other effects a relative axial movement of said members, links connecting said mandrel rod to said pair of arms whereby said rod is shifted axially of the inner tubular member when the outer ends of said arms are drawn together. and resilient means normally urging a relative shifting of said members so as to retract said mandrel from the split end of said inner member.

2. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a pair of concentrically mounted, relatively shiftable, tubular members, the ends of the inner of said members extending beyond the respective ends of the outer member, a crosshead secured to the rearward end of each of said members and disposed in parallel relationship to each other, the forward end of said inner member being formed with an annular enlargement and having slits extending inwardly from the end thereof through said enlargement to form fingers normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of said member whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a rod slidably sheathed in said inner member and havin the ends thereof extending beyond the ends of said inner member, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said rod and adapted to be drawn into the split end of said inner member to efiect an expension of said annular enlargement, a pair of crossed arms independently pivoted to one of said cross-heads and having cam action on the other cross-head whereby the drawing of the outer ends of said handles toward each other effects a relative axial movement of said members, links connecting said mandrel rod to said pair of arms whereby said rod is shifted axially of the inner tubular member when the outer ends of said arms are drawn together, and resilient means normally urging a relative shifting of said members so as to retract said mandrel from the split end of said inner member.

3. In a tool of the class described,-the combination of a pair of concentrically mounted, relatively shiftable, tubular members, the ends of the inner of said members extending beyond the respective ends of the outer member, a crosshead secured to the rearward end of each of said members and disposed in parallel relationship to each other, the forward end of said inner member being formed with an annular enlargement and having slits extending inwardly from the end thereof through said enlargement to form fingers normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of said member whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a rod slidably sheathed in said inner member and having the ends thereof extending beyond the ends of said inner member, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said rod and adapted to be drawn into the split end of said inner member to eflect an expansion of said annular enlargement, a pair of crossed curved arms having the forward ends extending transversely to the axis of said members, said arms being independently pivoted to one of said' cross-heads at points axially forward from the crossing of said arms and remote from the axis of said members, links connecting said mandrel rod to said pair of arms whereby said rod is shifted axially of the inner tubular member when the outer ends of said arms are drawn together, and resilient means normally urging a relative shifting of said members so as to retract said mandrel from the split end of said inner member.

4. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a pair of concentrically mounted, relatively shiftable, tubular members, the ends of the inner of said members extending beyond the respective ends of the outer member, a cross-head secured to the rearward end of each of said members and disposed in parallel relationship to each other, the forward end of said inner member being formed with an annular enlargement and having slits extending inwardly from the end thereof through said enlargement to form fingers normally biased toward each other by the resiliency of said member whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a rod slidably sheathed in said inner member and having the ends thereof extending beyond the ends of said inner member, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said rod and adapted to be drawn into the split end of said inner member to effect an expansion of said annular enlargement, a Pair of crossed curved arms having the forward ends extending transversely to the axis of said members, said arms being each independently pivoted to the cross-head on said inner member intermediate the cross of said arms and the forward ends thereof and having the forward ends of said arms bearing against the cross-head on said outer member, links connecting said mandrel rod to said pair of arms whereby said rod is shifted axially of the inner tubular member when the outer ends of said arms are drawn together, and resilient means normally urging a relative shifting of said members so as to retract said mandrel from the split end of said inner member.

5. In a tool of the class described, the combination of a chambered housing, a tubular member slidably supported in said housing with the ends of said member protruding from the opposite ends of said housing, the forward end of said member being formed with an annular enlargement and having slits extending inwardly from the end thereof through said enlargement to form fingers normally biased by the resiliency of said member to urge, said fingers inwardly whereby the normal outside diameter of said annular enlargement is less than the inside diameter of a tube which said tool is to be used to expand, a rod slidably sheathed in said tubular member with the ends of said rod extended beyond the ends of said tubular member, a mandrel formed on the forward end of said rod and adapted to expand said fingers when said rod is drawn inwardly along said tubular member, a pair of crossed curved levers having their forward ends bearing against said housing, means pivotally connecting each of said levers separately tosaid tubular member forwardly of the cross of said levers, other means pivotally connecting said levers to said rod rearwardly of the cross of said levers, said last two mentioned means co-acting to shift said rod and tubular member axially to each other and said housing when the outer ends of said levers are drawn together so as to cause said mandrel to expand said annular enlargement and draw said expanded annular enlargement toward the adjacent end of said housing, and resilient means normally urging a relative shifting of housing and member so as to retract said mandrel from the split end of said member.

' HOWARD F. BRINEN.

EDWARD J. KOTHERA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,480,630 August 30, 1949 HOWARD F. BRINEN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears inthe printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 24, for the Word tube-beefing read tube-beading;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read'with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice. Signed and sealed this 24th day of January, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Am'atant Uommiuimwr of Patents. 

